[Archived] Dinglewatch

[Mike Graham]

I remember in 2009/2010 we originally planned to give them the whole Darwen End, but under pressure from Rovers fans (quite well organised pressure, I think) the club relented and ended up giving them the 3,000 allocation.

If it’s anything like the last derby there in their promotion season, the home end will look even more empty – last time there were a good 3,000-4,000 empty seats in the 3 other stands and that was with us having the full Cricket Field.

Three of us sat in the Burnley End behind their goal last season. It was about 50% full and quiet.

[only2garners]

As secretary of the Fans Forum I have been attending the liaison meetings between clubs, fans and the police for the last few times we have played each other. As such I went to the meeting at Turf Moor in January.

To start the Football League regulations commit clubs to offering at least 10% of their capacity to away fans. The 2,399 tickets Burnley have given Rovers meets this requirement, so there is nothing either the club or police can do about that.

The away stand will be split with about 2/3rds being given to Rovers, some segregation and then some home fans. The original plan was to sell the remaining seats to Burnley fans, but it looks like ther has been a "concession" that means there will just be the c500 who already have tickets in there.

Whilst I expressed disappointment that we only had 2,399 tickets I recognised that that was Burnley's choice to do. What really bothered me was that Rovers fans will be contained in what is a wholly inadequate "concourse" behind the stand, as in 2010. I fear that we could have very similar problems to that game.

Burnley are installing a Fan Zone which will be on the cricket field car park, outside the turnstiles but within the secure cordon. It was Burnley's plan to only sell food and soft drinks here. Again I told them that a Fan Zone would not work without alcohol being made available - hopefully they have changed their mind on this as well.

I was sufficiently concerned after the meeting that we held a meeting at Ewood with those Forum members who could make it, with Derek Shaw, Alan Myers, Stuart Caley and the police. We were all agreed that the plan was far from ideal and we all had concerns for fans' safety because of the lack of space. After the meeting we wrote a letter expressing these concerns which had police support and was delivered to Burnley.

Given the announcement of the allocation it looks like there have Ben little or no changes to the plans.

As an aside the meeting we had at Ewood was the last thing Derek Shaw did at the club. He left shortly after and his leaving was announced two hours later.

There was a post earlier that said that independent Burnley coaches have been allowed to come to Ewood unescorted. That's not true. There have been coaches that have come separately but they have always had a police escort. The police would be happy to do the same for Rovers fans but there has been no demand. The independent coaches have all come from Blackburn so it has been easy for them to go to Ewood for the escort.

[Mike Graham]

Thanks o2g, good work by you and the FF. It is appreciated.

We already have our tickets in another part of the ground ;-)

[ABBEY]

If I go in the shop for tickets , do I need a wad of plastic season tickets or just details ?

[Mike Graham]

If I go in the shop for tickets , do I need a wad of plastic season tickets or just details ?

Details....ST numbers.

[only2garners]

Thanks o2g, good work by you and the FF. It is appreciated.

We already have our tickets in another part of the ground ;-)

No problem PB. I won't be there anyway - I'll be and am already in New Zealand. Away for 6 weeks and will be missing 7 home games, maybe 8!

Still it's 22 degrees here in Wellington and I will be at the NZ v OZ test match on Friday.

[Mike Graham]

No problem PB. I won't be there anyway - I'll be and am already in New Zealand. Away for 6 weeks and will be missing 7 home games, maybe 8!

Still it's 22 degrees here in Wellington and I will be at the NZ v OZ test match on Friday.

Brilliant.....enjoy.

Having to put up with a week in Chicago soon :-(

[dave birch]

No problem PB. I won't be there anyway - I'll be and am already in New Zealand. Away for 6 weeks and will be missing 7 home games, maybe 8!

Still it's 22 degrees here in Wellington and I will be at the NZ v OZ test match on Friday.

And you've not come to Sydney!

I'd have bought you a beer or three!

27c here today,

[only2garners]

Brilliant.....enjoy.

Having to put up with a week in Chicago soon :-(

A fine city, but a bit brisk at this time of year.

And you've not come to Sydney!

I'd have bought you a beer or three!

27c here today,

It was 31c in Martinborough yesterday - warm work wine tasting.

[McClarky]

Ok, enough boasting about the weather please.

Does anyone think there will be any tickets left after the STs? Haven't missed a 1st team game of any description v this lot since 1979 but may have to sit this 1 out.

[JHRover]

I appreciate that it is a decision of Burnley FC to only allocate Rovers 2,300 tickets and that under League regulations there is nothing we can do about that, even if it means there will be empty seats in other stands because 500 Clarets are in the cricket field end.

What upsets me isn't that we've only got 2,300. What upsets me is that for the reverse fixture at Ewood Park Rovers season ticket holders in the Darwen End and end blocks of the Riverside and Jack Walker were forcibly relocated to other parts of the grounds so as to accommodate 4,000-5,000 Burnley supporters. That is a disgraceful way to treat your own supporters.

If we had approached the game at Ewood the same as Burnley have approached this upcoming fixture then we would have given them a maximum allocation of 3,000 tickets. These would be either the upper Darwen End only, or half the Darwen End upper and lower tier. This would have enabled them to have a similar allocation to that we will be receiving without the need to inconvenience season ticket holders.

At the time I remember that Rovers claimed it was a police driven measure and they had no choice but to accept the need for a segregation zone on the Riverside. That simply does not make any sense when you consider how close Burnley supporters in the Bob Lord and Cricket Field Ends will be to Rovers fans in a far inferior stadium with much greater difficulties in segregating supporters.

Why aren't the police insisting that Burnley ticket holders be moved from the end block of the Bob Lord and out of the cricket field end altogether?

Once again it seems to me that we've got the poor deal.

Burnley fans got 4,000 tickets for the game. Rovers get 2,300.

Rovers season ticket holders have to move seats, Burnley season ticket holders don't.

Burnley supporters can be picked up at Whitebirk, yet Rovers supporters have to meet in Accy or at Ewood.

Burnley supporters can travel on independently organised travel e.g. from Lancaster, Rovers supporters have to travel on official travel.

Burnley supporters were able to access hospitality and thus travel to Ewood Park by car and face no travel restrictions. No such option available to Rovers fans.

[Mattyblue]

Following on from a point JH makes, why are we now putting segregation in the Riverside and Jack Walker Stand (the upper tier too, in case someone wants to abseil into the away end)?

Most of the time it isn't an issue as we don't get anywhere near filling the ground, so closing off whole blocks of the home stands isn't an issue, however against Liverpool last season we sold out on the morning of the game, yet a thousand seats were left empty in the Jack Walker and Riverside stand.

Why? We never did this in our 20 years in the PL with many a 30000 crowd. Is our capacity now in reality 29000?

[oldjamfan1]

Ok, enough boasting about the weather please.

Does anyone think there will be any tickets left after the STs? Haven't missed a 1st team game of any description v this lot since 1979 but may have to sit this 1 out.

I've PM'd you mate

[tomphil]

The clubs and fans blame the police and they say no it's the clubs decisions they haven't asked us if they can do it any differently. No one taking responsibility as usual.

Simple thing to do is next time we play them at home give them 2800 in the Darwen End Upper and say that's your lot. Then make it regulars only for home fans and close some bits of the ground to shoehorn people together and prevent infiltration then sod it. Games a farce anyway.

[JHRover]

Following on from a point JH makes, why are we now putting segregation in the Riverside and Jack Walker Stand (the upper tier too, in case someone wants to abseil into the away end)?

Most of the time it isn't an issue as we don't get anywhere near filling the ground, so closing off whole blocks of the home stands isn't an issue, however against Liverpool last season we sold out on the morning of the game, yet a thousand seats were left empty in the Jack Walker and Riverside stand.

Why? We never did this in our 20 years in the PL with many a 30000 crowd. Is our capacity now in reality 29000?

Its because nobody employed at Rovers has either the determination, wherewithal or interest in challenging the people who put these proposals forward. We just meekly accept it and do as we are told, even if it upsets our own supporters or reduces our capacity.

Ewood Park is a first class stadium with a track record of hosting Premier League fixtures with above average away followings (regularly 7,000+ away contingents) with no issues whatsoever. No rioting, no violence, nothing. There's no precedent for it and therefore it is not justified.

Just try to imagine the police/safety people telling Arsenal that they had to shut a block in the Emirates and leave it empty because it was a big game and they needed additional segregation. Wouldn't happen because Arsenal wouldn't allow it to. Difference is they have people making decisions for the good of their club and supporters rather than the police and Burnley fans.

The clubs and fans blame the police and they say no it's the clubs decisions they haven't asked us if they can do it any differently. No one taking responsibility as usual.

Simple thing to do is next time we play them at home give them 2800 in the Darwen End Upper and say that's your lot. Then make it regulars only for home fans and close some bits of the ground to shoehorn people together and prevent infiltration then sod it. Games a farce anyway.

Exactly what we should have done this season. Keep their numbers down, give them the minimum, keep them away from the pitch.

But no, we give them as much as the coach companies and police would allow, let them have the whole end, oh and Joe Bloggs a lifelong season ticket holder in the Riverside with no history of trouble can go and sit somewhere else to facilitate it all.

[barry_]

another plea for a ticket (if anyone's eligible but not going). I have 2 season tickets (one is shared between my 2 grown up sons) but for this game it would be great if I was able to be there with both of my lads. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Madon]

I went into the club shop at around 11.30am this morning, there were 3 women serving tickets and I was in there for a good 20 minutes waiting.

A lot of people buying Burnley tickets!

[arbitro]

I went into the club shop at around 11.30am this morning, there were 3 women serving tickets and I was in there for a good 20 minutes waiting.

A lot of people buying Burnley tickets!

The process takes longer because each ticket sold has to be verified against the season ticket holders details. I bought six today and a check was done on all the individual details, primarily to see if there was an email address. We can all expect an email with all the printed information usually given with each ticket.

[sambo]

The process takes longer because each ticket sold has to be verified against the season ticket holders details. I bought six today and a check was done on all the individual details, primarily to see if there was an email address. We can all expect an email with all the printed information usually given with each ticket.

I haven't received an email - is there anything we have to print off the email or is it just the stuff I will collect from the ticket office?

[arbitro]

I haven't received an email - is there anything we have to print off the email or is it just the stuff I will collect from the ticket office?

They told me that emails will be sent out 7 - 10 days before the game.

[only2garners]

Burnley supporters can be picked up at Whitebirk, yet Rovers supporters have to meet in Accy or at Ewood.

Burnley supporters can travel on independently organised travel e.g. from Lancaster, Rovers supporters have to travel on official travel.

Burnley supporters were able to access hospitality and thus travel to Ewood Park by car and face no travel restrictions. No such option available to Rovers fans.

I'm sure that the police would allow a pick-up point nearer Burnley if someone could recommend a suitable site.

Rovers fans can and do travel independently on organised coaches. All ours set off from Blackburn or Darwen so meet at Ewood for the police escort. If someone wants to organise a coach from Lancaster or Rossendale or wherever the police will make arrangements.

Rovers fans were able and have bought hospitality at Turf Moor. Not many because facilities are very limited there and it's sold out but there are some.

[Proudtobeblue&white]

I shall have a round of pitch & putt at Townley at 9am and then parachute in a la Bourne, land on the head of the red one and claim deplotmatic ammunity, be taken to corporate, to find two silver skin pickled onions, a small pork pie, circa 1975, and a small benadictine. At which I shall claim the dingledome a national treasure to be preserved in aspic and transported to Greece so we can keep the Elgin marbles.

Btw, why no minibus from Clitheroe?

[Mike Graham]

I'm sure that the police would allow a pick-up point nearer Burnley if someone could recommend a suitable site.

Rovers fans can and do travel independently on organised coaches. All ours set off from Blackburn or Darwen so meet at Ewood for the police escort. If someone wants to organise a coach from Lancaster or Rossendale or wherever the police will make arrangements.

Rovers fans were able and have bought hospitality at Turf Moor. Not many because facilities are very limited there and it's sold out but there are some.

It is easy to buy hospitality at Burnley and beat the early start.

[sambo]

They told me that emails will be sent out 7 - 10 days before the game.

Will these emails contain coach tickets or just general information?

[arbitro]

Will these emails contain coach tickets or just general information?

Just the general information. In the past it has contained a layout of where the coaches will drop off and pick up etc. You should get your coach ticket with your match ticket as I did yesterday.